The Charm of the Creative Prague

A city on the move: The Czech metropolis shines in fresh colors, attracts people full of ideas and energy. A walk of a special kind in the studios and shops of emerging designers and popular artists.

A cork through the air flies with loud bang. A couple has spread a picnic blanket on the sand. You laugh, toast to. Time seems to stand still on St & # 345elecký Ostrov, a small green island in the middle of the Vltava River, right across from the Charles Bridge. The mild spring air runs through Prague’s old town. Cafés have set their tables before the door. The city has awakened from its winter sleep. Streets are filled with urgent passers-by. Spirit of optimism. How symbolic. Finally, Prague Spring is not only the most beautiful time of year of this city, but also political era of an entire country. For over 40 years. Democracy was introduced 18 years ago. Since then change will happen here, yet he has not arrived. He has achieved the prestigious Prague Academy of Arts, architecture and design in 1990: immediately after the “Velvet Revolution” some students of just those College-founded courageous, full of impatience and visions-the first small studios. Now many of them are professors and lecturers at their former place of study.

A little walk away from the Academy of fine arts: The Sun sparkles through glorious treetops, throwing long shadows on the old, rough cobblestones of the narrow alley. Whitewashed facades of stately Art Nouveau houses shine. Noble restaurants and small Delicatessens exude scents that whet your appetite. Chic boutiques, exclusive jewellery shops and quaint antique shops invite you to stroll around. In the Middle: the PA & # 345izšká in the former Jewish ghetto of Josefov. Once completely weathered, today’s most elegant street Prague.

“No other city I know is so alive, so full of contrasts!”, says the young fashion and costume designer Josefina Bakošová from the old town. “I need exactly. Never I want to live somewhere else!” For them, Prague is the place that inspired it, gives her strength. Josefina among Prague avant-garde – young designers of from different disciplines. The awakening is a break for them. Their credo: Modernity and innovation. Break with old traditions: away from dusty Bohemian Crystalware, of the folk arts and crafts, the Czechs are so famous for.

Who travels in the footsteps of the young Prague design through the city, meet people of full of passion, with an almost missionary rigor. “The years of oppression, socialism has spoiled people. They strive for Bimbo pabulum, so they were used it long time. It is very hard to exorcise this naughtiness to them “, says the 28 year-old designer Petra Kr & #269kova.” More and more hidden places of the old town, they are finding the small design shops and ateliers. Also in Žižkov, a former working class neighbourhood, just outside the Centre. Still sleepy and morbid charm. Gray building facades, of which the plaster scrolls. Broken sidewalks, Holey streets, elderly grocery stores. The scene is small, but vibrant. And it grows.

Go on a discovery tour

Petra KR & #269kova & Josefina Bakošová

Old town, Mala Strana, or Jewish quarter: everywhere make creative in their studios and shops

Petra is a costume and fashion designer, Josefina is Illustrator, costume, fashion and Doll Designer. Both are founders and owners of the design store hard-core de “we must educate the people, they are corrupted. The Czech population don’t know, what will keep them from designed things at all. It seems strange and illogical to spend on handmade money them. Rather buy them industrially produced junk and even still feel that they have bought something high-quality”, the 29 year-old Josefina Bakošová grumbles. Since September 2006, she operates her atelier-boutique with Mrs Petra Krčkova. Under the motto “hand made originals” there are fashion, accessories, jewellery, Interior, glass, ceramic, porcelain, toys and much, much more-all handmade unique of young Czech designers and of course their own creations there. De hard-core, Senovázné námesti 10, 110 00 Prague 1,

Halka Mar & # 353aková

Textile and interior designer

Here at neovideogames, whether carpets, wallpaper, murals, blinds, curtains, room dividers, sofa and chair covers or small tables – for the 30 year-old Halka Maršaková applies: “I want to furniture and rooms help to unfold. People should feel comfortable in their home, in the Office or other places.” Just she has equipped new an old, somewhat run-down Prague cinema. Prefer Halka home textile, furniture and room solutions designs for children. “That makes me the most fun, because I have the most freedoms! “The children are easy to inspire and to ideas and designs right away happy and satisfied.” in2, manesova 50, 120 00 Prague 2,

Jan & #268apek

Industry and product designer

“Everything we see, what we use, what surrounds us, was once decorated and designed.Design is everywhere”, says Jan Čapek. The 31-year-old is a great friend of latest technologies and modern materials, tested their properties, plays with them.An elaborately constructed Chair made from a kind of acrylic stone mesh or the award-winning in a world-wide competition, extravagant washing machine for single men-the industrial designer is a master in dealing with form, function and material. “I love little details and their perfection!” For a Carlsbad mineral water manufacturer, he has designed two new water bottles made of PET, one of them is multiple award winner. Since last autumn, he commutes between Prague and Italy: there he designed electronic household equipment for Electrolux. And with great success.

Three years ago gündeten the two 25-year “Taione”. The name is an allusion to the “Made in Taiwan”-kitsch, which is found in many Czech households. “Most Czechs have just no taste! In the worst stores they buy the ugliest things’, say Henry Wielgus and Martin Hašek. “Taione” is now “Tai2” and has a mission: “We want people with a small budget fun and quality design offer.” The felt Chair Senath. 03 was elected in 2006 as one of the best Czech design products of the last 100 years and made famous in the local scene Wielgus and Hasšek. Tai2, Vlková 18, 130 00 Prague 3, www.tai2.cz

Maxim Velc & # 269ovský

Porcelain and glass designer and co-founder of Qubus design

He is just 31 years old, and already is among the absolute superstars in the Czech design. Maxim Velcčovský is working with glass, ceramic, and porcelain. His works are humorous, ironic, strange. A confrontation with the Communist past of in the Czech Republic and own, distinct from socialism childhood. So the porcelain mug “Cola Cup” pays homage to the time after the revolution, as he collected empty coke and Sprite bottles and put them as trophies on the shelf. His dream: “one day I want to design including interior bar or a Museum!”Qubus design, Rámov 3, 110 00 Prague 1,